1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

11.07.2015 Views

contrary to Law, cut Him off from His rights, this cuttingoff did not cause Him to forfeit any of them.In other words, we cannot see how anyone could depriveour Lord of His life-rights in a judicial way. Toour understanding, Jesus was cut off from His life andR5086 page 264from all the rights that pertained to it by a fanaticalcompany of fallen men; but their action could not destroyany right which God's Law had given to Him. So, then,when God raised Him from the dead and rewarded Himwith a higher nature and certain wonderful blessingsconnected therewith, this exaltation could not interferewith the RIGHT which God's LAW had given and whichHe had neither given away nor forfeited. He had merelyallowed men to take His life from Him, thus separatingHim from His RIGHTS, which remained His.HOW OUR LORD BECOMES FATHER OF MANKINDSince our Lord therefore had neither forfeited thoserights nor given them away, then when God highly exaltedHim because of His obedience unto death, this rightto human life was amongst the things that He possessed.This right was His irrespective of anything which theFather gave Him. It is because He holds this right tohuman life as an asset--His legally and not as a gift--that He is said to be the LIFE-GIVER.During the Millennial Age, in fulfilment of the Divinepromise, our Lord will give mankind restitution to perfecthuman nature. In doing this He will not be givingsomething that the Father has given Him, but He willbe acting in a special sense in His own name. If He didnot have this right to everlasting life to give, then Hecould not be spoken of as the LIFE-GIVER. But since Hepossesses this right to human life, it is His to bestowduring the thousand years of His reign.At the end of the thousand years our Lord will nolonger be the Life-Giver. He cannot be the Life-Giverto angels nor to any other than mankind, for His right appertainedmerely to Himself as a perfect human being.What He will give away to humanity in general, is whatHe now imputes, or loans, to the Church, to permit us toshare with Him in sacrificial work and in His gloriouswork of the future.RIGHT TO HUMAN LIFE OUR LORD'S PERSONAL GIFTTO MANKINDWe do not see how as "Heir of all things" our Lordcould gain any additional control of His earthly natureand earthly life-rights which were His by obedience tothe Law. As Heir of all things He will be the representativeof the Father to all eternity. He takes the positionat the right hand of authority on High. In due time,

every knee shall bow to Him, and even the angels shallbe subjected unto Him.All these things came to our Lord as a part of the rewardwhich the Father promised. But this one particularfeature, the restitution of all things lost by Adam, is aspecial privilege coming as His own gift to humanity--that which He purchased at His own cost; that is to say,the laying down of His earthly life is the basis uponwhich He obtained the new nature and the right to controlthat earthly life, which shall be applied in restitutionin behalf of the world.If He had already applied that life and had actuallygiven it up, then we do not see how He could accomplishanything special for mankind. But since He has thisasset of earthly rights and privileges to give away, theprocess of bestowing it will continue during the Millennialreign; and what He will give is what He has by reasonof His obedience to the Law.--Lev. 185.SCRIPTURAL USAGE OF THE TERM "SACRIFICE"The word "sacrifice" may be used from different standpoints.If an animal were killed for some benevolentreason or purpose, it might be spoken of as a sacrifice,particularly if it were something done in harmony withthe Divine arrangement. But the mere killing of an animalwould not be sacrifice. A dog might be killed withoutbeing sacrificed. But if the dog's life were surrenderedfor the purpose of scientific experiment, we mightsay that it was given in sacrifice to science. From thisstandpoint we should view the matter of sacrifice. Thelives of God's consecrated people are surrendered for apurpose.At our consecration we present our bodies as livingsacrifices. We give up to the Lord our life, our humanbodies and everything that we possess. It does not follow,however, that God accepts this sacrifice to be put todeath in some special manner. Some may spend theirlives in serving the Lord's Truth, and may be said to besacrificed as truly as though they had died at the stake.We may say to the Lord, All my life is in Your hands;do with it as You please. If it means joy or pain, sacrificeor pleasure, we surrender our own will in the matterand become like unto Jesus, who said, "I came downfrom heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will ofHim that sent Me."--John 638.WHAT DO WE SACRIFICE?The sacrifice of Jesus was made at Jordan, but it wasfinished at Calvary. His consecration was absolute. Thekilling of the bullock is symbolical of what Jesus did whenHe surrendered His will. And so with us. Following inHis footsteps we become dead in the sense that we sacrificeour wills. But in what manner the Lord may acceptthat sacrificed will is His affair. We give it freely,

contrary to Law, cut Him off from His rights, this cuttingoff did not cause Him to forfeit any of them.In other words, we cannot see how anyone could depriveour Lord of His life-rights in a judicial way. Toour understanding, Jesus was cut off from His life andR5086 page 264from all the rights that pertained to it by a fanaticalcompany of fallen men; but their action could not destroyany right which God's Law had given to Him. So, then,when God raised Him from the dead and rewarded Himwith a higher nature and certain wonderful blessingsconnected therewith, this exaltation could not interferewith the RIGHT which God's LAW had given and whichHe had neither given away nor forfeited. He had merelyallowed men to take His life from Him, thus separatingHim from His RIGHTS, which remained His.HOW OUR LORD BECOMES FATHER OF MANKINDSince our Lord therefore had neither forfeited thoserights nor given them away, then when God highly exaltedHim because of His obedience unto death, this rightto human life was amongst the things that He possessed.This right was His irrespective of anything which theFather gave Him. It is because He holds this right tohuman life as an asset--His legally and not as a gift--that He is said to be the LIFE-GIVER.During the Millennial Age, in fulfilment of the Divinepromise, our Lord will give mankind restitution to perfecthuman nature. In doing this He will not be givingsomething that the Father has given Him, but He willbe acting in a special sense in His own name. If He didnot have this right to everlasting life to give, then Hecould not be spoken of as the LIFE-GIVER. But since Hepossesses this right to human life, it is His to bestowduring the thousand years of His reign.At the end of the thousand years our Lord will nolonger be the Life-Giver. He cannot be the Life-Giverto angels nor to any other than mankind, for His right appertainedmerely to Himself as a perfect human being.What He will give away to humanity in general, is whatHe now imputes, or loans, to the Church, to permit us toshare with Him in sacrificial work and in His gloriouswork of the future.RIGHT TO HUMAN LIFE OUR LORD'S PERSONAL GIFTTO MANKINDWe do not see how as "Heir of all things" our Lordcould gain any additional control of His earthly natureand earthly life-rights which were His by obedience tothe Law. As Heir of all things He will be the representativeof the Father to all eternity. He takes the positionat the right hand of authority on High. In due time,

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